'Issue': Injury worry emerges for Liverpool just before kick-off against Newcastle - journalist
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Liverpool would have been hoping to have their full squad ahead of this fierce clash.
Monday night football has been the game that all football fans have been looking forward to, everyone except Liverpool supporters that is.
With everything that is going on with Alexander Isak, this match has all the hallmarks of being an all-time great.
With that said, Arne Slot would have been hoping to have his best XI to choose from, but for many reasons, that has not been the case.
One notable absentee is Alexis Mac Allister, and despite all the rumours, the real reason why he is missing has now been confirmed.
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Throughout pre-season, Mac Allister was missing for the majority of it, with injuries being the reason for this.
However, he has been slowly reintegrated into the side, with fans hoping that the Argentine can put it all behind him and become a regular back in the team.
But, despite getting back to fitness, the 26-year-old failed to make the squad for Liverpool’s game, much to the fans’ frustration.
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Despite the reports being that his absence was due to his girlfriend giving birth, the real reason is that the midfielder has a minor fitness issue, according to Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle.
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The severity of his injury is yet to be confirmed, although Reds fans will be praying that it isn’t bad, as he is a key cog in the heart of midfield.
In Mac Allister’s absence, it is Curtis Jones who has been given the nod to start in the middle of the park, with Slot opting for Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back instead of the scouser.
And, given the strength Newcastle have in midfield, Jones has a big task on his hands to try and keep them quiet.
The game could be won and lost in this area of the pitch, so the Englishman will need to be in top form to eliminate any threat.
He has shown flashes of brilliance in the past but inconsistency is his problem, with this now his chance to prove himself in one of the biggest games of the season.